Typhoid outbreak hits Bajura District, Nepal

An outbreak of typhoid has struck the Bajura District in western Nepal a week ago and the numbers continue to rise. According to a Himalayan Times report Thursday, hospitals are treating a swelling number of typhoid, dysentery and diarrhea cases.

SalmonellaImage/CDC

Senior Assistant Health Worker Janak Rawal says, “Every day, more than 50 patients visit the district hospital seeking treatment for typhoid.” Auxiliary nursing mid-wife Deuma Dhami notes, “Typhoid is spreading rapidly. Almost 80 per cent of the total number of patients visiting the health centre come for treatment of typhoid.”

Health officials are urging locals to be careful about personal and food hygiene. “Lack of pure drinking water, change in season and ignorance about personal hygiene are among the factors that have contributed to the spread of the disease,” argued Dr Basant Regmi.

Typhoid fever is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. Salmonella typhi lives only in humans. Persons with typhoid fever carry the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract. In addition, a small number of persons, called carriers, recover fromtyphoid fever but continue to carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed S.typhi in their feces.

The symptoms for typhoid fever include a high fever, headaches, diarrhea or constipation, stomach pains, weakness, and loss of appetite. In some cases a flat, rose-coloured rash may appear on the torso. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page.

You can get typhoid fever if you eat food or drink beverages that have been handled by a person who is shedding S. typhi or if sewage contaminated with S. typhi bacteria gets into the water you use for drinking or washing food. Therefore, typhoid fever is more common in areas of the world where handwashing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage.